Film reel fastener



E T RAHF USE FILM REEL FASTENER Filed Jan. 19, 1950 v May 12, 1953 Patented May 12,1953

jiumTEo [STATES PATENT,"

OFFICE- FILM REEL FAsrENsR,

Eugene Thomas Rahfuse, Hamilton, Ohio, as-

signor of one-half to Charles W. Ball, Hamilton, Ohio, Martha Rahfuse, Hamilton, Ohio, executrix of said Eugene Thomas Rahfuse, de-

ceased Application January 19, 1950, Serial No. 139,450 g t 3 Claims. 01. 242-74) The invention relates generally to reel'struc- 'tures'and more particularly to reel structures adaptable for having thin films or tapes such as mo'vingpicture films wound thereon, and it primarily seeks to provide a simple and economical- 'ly constructed reel of the character stated hav- 'ingincorporated, in the hub thereof novel film end clamping means wherein the end of 'a film 'canbe quickly and securely clamped preparatory to the winding of the film about said hub.

It iswell known that reel structures now on the market are equipped with transverse, narrow slots in which toreceive the, ends of films to be wound thereon. The changing of films usually .is accomplished in projection booths without the aid of artificial light, and great difficulty is experienced inlocating the film end receiving slot and inserting the film end therein. Difiiculty also is experienced in making the first few turns of the film, about the hub.

vide a reel structure having a hub equipped with a novel film end clamping means effective to conveniently receive and securely grip the film end so that difficulties previously experienced in the winding of films will be avoided.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in providing a reel structure having parallel "spaced spider disks, a hub serving as a distance piece between the disks and comprising a band shaped in the'form of a cylinder with one end turned inwardly to provide a clamping abutment face and the other end spaced circumferentially from said bent in end to provide a film end receiving clearance, means securing the edges of the hubband to said disks, and clamp means shift'able' between an out-of-the-way position away from the abutment face and includinga generally L-shaped clamp member having a base portion disposed to cooperate in substantially parallel clamping relation with the abutment, face of the hub, and an arcuate body portion extending from said base portion in generally concentric relation to the hub band, said 'clai'np memberbeing equipped with a finger piece extending laterally out through a slot in one 'of the reel'disks, there also beingincluded spring means constantly tending to press the base portion of the clamp means against the abutment face of the hub.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reel structure of the character stated wherein the base portion of the clamp member is pivotally mounted between the side disks inwardly of the inturned end of the hub band, and

It is the purpose of the present invention to proreceiving recess 16.

theline 2-2 on Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged central longitudinal section taken-through the reel hub, a portion of a film being shown clamped on the hub.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 4 4 on Figure 3.- a I Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal taken on the 1ine-55 on Figure 3.

In the practical development of the invention,

section there are provided a pair of spider disks 5, 6

which arespaced apart in parallel relation by a hub or distance piececomposed of a band I which is shaped in the form of' a cylinder with one end turnedinwardlyin a generally radial direction to provide an-abutment face 8 and with itsother end 9 spaced from said abutment face to provide a clearance 10 through which an end extremity of a film may be inserted in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3. The hub band 1 preferably is provided with laterally extended edge Bugs 1! whichmay be inserted through apertures I2 in thedisks 5 and 6 and upset as at l3 to securethe hub and said disks in assembled relation in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3,- 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The disks 5- and 6 are provided with spider receiving apertures i l and I5, and one saidaperture may be equipped with the usual driving lug The film and clamping means is best illustrated in, Figures 3, 4. and 5 and takes the form of a gen- '-erallyL-shaped clamp member having a base portion l1 which-is'pivoted as at I8 between the "'cent'ral portio'ns' of'the'disks 5 and 6 and inwardly of the inturned edge extremity of the abutment face 8 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The clamping member also includes an arcuate body portion H! which is disposed within the hub and lies in generally concentric relation to the cylindrical body of said hub in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

A finger piece 20 projects laterally from the clamp member body is through an arcuate slot 2| provided in one side disk in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, and said finger piece may be utilized to swing the clamping member about its pivotal mounting 18.

A spring mounting lug 22 is struck out from the clamping member base portion l1 and operates with a similar lug 23 struck out from an abutment member 24 which is secured as at 25 between the side disks 5 and 6 in supporting a compression spring 26, said lugs 22 and 23 being projected into the respective ends of said spring.

It will be apparent that whenever it is desired to secure the end extremity of a film 21 on the reel it is a simple matter to engage the finger piece 2!) and move it along in the side disk slot 2| so as to displace the base portion ll of the clamp from its contact with the hub abutment face 8.

By now inserting the 'end extremity of the film 21 through the hub clearance ll! opposite the abutment face 8 and releasing the finger piece 20, the spring 25 will force the clamp member base portion I? to the position illustrated in Figure 3 for tightly gripping the film end against the hub abutment face 8. With the film end thus tightly secured to the hub it is a simple matter to rotate the reel and effect the desired winding of the film 21 about the reel hub.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a reel structure of the character described,

a pair of side disks in spaced parallel relation, a

hub serving as a distance piece between the disks and comprising a band shaped in the form of a cylinder with one end turned inwardly to provide a clamping abutment face and the other end spaced circumferentially from said bent end to provide a film end receiving clearance, means securing the edges of the hub band to said disks, and clamp means shiftable between an out-ofthe-way position away from the abutment face to permit insertion of a film end inwardly through said clearance and a clamping position in which it grips the film end securely against said abutment face, said clamp means including a generally L-shaped clamp member having a base portion disposed to cooperate in substantially parallel clamping relation with the abutment face.

of the hub, and an arcuate body portion extending in generally concentric relation to the hub band, said clamp member being equipped with a finger piece extending laterally out through a slot in one of the reel disks, there also being included spring means constantly tending to press the base portion of the clamp means against the abutment face of the hub.

2. In a reel structure of the character described, a pair of side disks in spaced parallel relation, a hub serving as a distance piece between the disks 4 and comprising a band shaped in the form of a cylinder with one end turned inwardly to provide a clamping abutment face and the other end spaced circumferentially from said bent end to provide a film end receiving clearance, means securing the edges of the hub band to'said disks, and clamp means shiftable between an out-ofthe-way position away from the abutment face to permit insertion of a film end inwardly through said clearance and a clamping position in which it grips the film end securely against said abutment face, said clamp means including a generally L-shaped clamp member having a base portion disposed to cooperate in substantially parallel clamping relation with the abutment face of the hub, and an arcuate body portion extending in generally concentric relation to the hub band, said clamp member being equipped with a finger piece extending laterally out through a slot in one of the reel disks, there also being included spring means constantly tending to press the base portion of the clamp means against the abutment face of the hub, said clamp member base portion being pivotally mounted between the reel disks inwardly of the inturned end of the hub band, and said spring means comprising a compression spring interposed between the base portion of the clamp member and an abutment secured between the reel disks within the hub.

3. In a reel structure of the character described, a pair of side disks in spaced parallel relation, a hub serving as a distance piece between the disks and comprising a band shaped in the form of a cylinder with one end turned inwardly to provide a clamping abutment face and the other end spaced circumferentially from said bent end to provide a film end receiving clearance, means securing the edges of the hub band to said disks, and clamp means shiftable between an out-ofthe-way position away from the abutment face to permit insertion of a film end inwardly through said clearance and a clamping position in which it grips the film end securely against said abutment face, said clamp means including a generally L-shaped clamp member having a base portion disposed to cooperate in substantially parallel clamping relation with the abutment face of the hub, and an arcuate body portion extending in generally concentric relation to the hub band. said clamp member being equipped with a finger piece extending laterally out through a slot in one of the reel disks and also a member having the L-base portion thereof directed radially inwardly and pivotally mounted on the disks, there also being included spring means constantly tendin to' press thebase portion of the clamp means against the abutment face of the hub.

EUGENE THOMAS RAHF'USE. 

